EFRI 2-DARE: Scalable Synthesis of 2D Layered Materials for Large Area Flexible Thin Film Electronics

这个项目将研究一种从悬浮在液体中的纳米板组装电子级的、连续的二维层状材料薄膜的方法。这样的工艺有望极大地降低生产此类薄膜的成本，以及由此生产的设备。该方法有可能制备出化学成分、结构和尺寸可控的材料，应用于电子学、光电子学、生物电子学、能量转换和能量存储。拟议的研究计划将与教育和外展活动紧密结合。将积极招收来自代表性不足群体的学生，以扩大他们对工程研究的参与，并将研究成果纳入研究生和本科生课程，以进一步扩大教育机会。总之，这些努力将对准备迎接新世纪挑战的下一代个人的教育和培训做出重大贡献，包括保持美国技术的竞争优势。二维层状材料(2DLM)正在成为一种独特的材料类别，为基础材料科学和全新技术的新突破奠定了基础。为了充分挖掘它们的潜力，需要可扩展的2DLM生产，理想情况下是使用相对简单、低成本的方法。提出了一种可伸缩合成和组装2DLM纳米板的溶液化学方法，作为一种新的电子、催化和能源应用的材料平台。特别是，分子进化方法将用于识别和设计特定的分子调节剂，用于溶液合成2DLM纳米板，并对所有材料参数进行确定性控制，包括化学成分、物理尺寸和电子性质。原位透射电子显微镜和原位原子力显微镜将被用来可视化和理解成核和生长动力学，以便在原子水平上精细控制2D晶体的形成。将进行系统的研究，以探索2DLm纳米板的基本电子性质，并探索起源于2DLm异质结构界面的新物理。将探索大面积组装2DLM纳米板薄膜，横向外延生长以减少或消除晶界，以及设计新的器件架构，以创造新一代高度灵活的电子和光电子器件。最后，将研究所得到的2DLM纳米板作为电催化剂或光催化剂的潜在应用，或在能量存储应用中的应用。对成核和生长机制的基本了解将使我们能够开发出强大的合成策略，用于可扩展地生产2DLMS，并对所有材料参数进行确定性控制，从而创建一个强大的材料系统，用于在单个原子厚度的限制下进行低维物理和化学的基础研究。这一努力将为2DLMS的新材料平台奠定关键的智力基础，使包括电子、光电子、催化以及能量转换和存储在内的各种技术取得变革性的进步。

This project will research an approach for assembling electronics-grade, continuous films of two-dimensional layered materials from nanoplates suspended in liquids. Such a process promises to dramatically reduce the cost of producing such films and the devices that are produced from them. The method has the potential to produce materials with good control of chemical composition, structure and dimensions for applications in electronics, optoelectronics, bioelectronics, energy conversion and energy storage. The proposed research program will be closely integrated with education and outreach activities. Students from underrepresented groups will be actively recruited to broaden their participation in engineering research and the research results will be integrated into graduate and undergraduate courses to further broaden educational opportunities. Together, these efforts will contribute significantly to education and training of the next generation of individuals ready to meet the challenges of the new century, including maintaining a competitive advantage for US technology.Two-dimensional layered materials (2DLMs) are emerging as a unique class of materials setting the stage for new breakthroughs in fundamental materials science and entirely new technologies. To fully explore their potential requires scalable production of 2DLMs, ideally with relatively simple, low cost approaches. A solution chemical pathway to the scalable synthesis and assembly of 2DLM nanoplates is proposed as a new material platform for electronic, catalytic and energy applications. In particular, a molecular evolution approach will be used to identify and design specific molecular regulating agents for the solution synthesis of 2DLM nanoplates with deterministic control of all material parameters, including chemical composition, physical dimension and electronic properties. In-situ transmission electron microscopy and in-situ atomic force microscopy will be used to visualize and understand the nucleation and growth kinetics for fine control of 2D crystal formation at the atomic level. Systematic investigations will be conducted to probe the fundamental electronic properties of the 2DLM nanoplates and explore new physics originating at the interfaces in 2DLM heterostructures. Large-area assembly of 2DLM nanoplate thin films, lateral epitaxial growth to reduce or eliminate the grain boundaries, and design of new device architectures for the creation of a new generation of highly flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices will be explored. Lastly, the resulting 2DLM nanoplates will be investigated for potential applications as electrocatalysts or photocatalysts, or in energy storage applications. A fundamental understanding of the nucleation and growth mechanisms will enable the development of powerful synthetic strategies for scalable production of 2DLMs with deterministic control of all material parameters, creating a robust material system for fundamental investigation of low-dimensional physics and chemistry at the limit of single atomic thickness. The effort will establish the critical intellectual underpinnings for a new material platform of 2DLMs to enable transformative advances in diverse technologies including electronics, optoelectronics, catalysis, and energy conversion and storage.